Cardiovascular Disorder

Cardiovascular disorder affects the heart and blood vessels, and is the leading cause of death worldwide. Almost half of all adults in the United States have at least one form of this condition, but many cases can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices and proper medical care.

Table of contents

• What is cardiovascular disorder?
• Types of cardiovascular disorders
• How common is cardiovascular disorder?
• Signs and symptoms
• Causes and risk factors
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Prevention
• Living with cardiovascular disorder

What is cardiovascular disorder?

Cardiovascular disorder is a group of diseases affecting your heart and blood vessels^[1]. These diseases can affect one or many parts of your heart and blood vessels throughout your body. A person may be symptomatic, which means physically experiencing the disease, or asymptomatic, which means not feeling anything at all^[1].

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels, including arteries, veins, and capillaries^[5]. When these structures don’t work properly, it can lead to serious health problems.

Cardiovascular disorders often result from a condition called atherosclerosis, which occurs when fat and cholesterol build up in blood vessel walls^[8]. This buildup is called plaque. Over time, plaque can narrow blood vessels and cause problems throughout the body. If an artery becomes blocked, it can lead to a heart attack or stroke^[8].

Types of cardiovascular disorders

There are many different types of cardiovascular disorders. The most common and important types include^[1][5]:

• Coronary artery disease (also called coronary heart disease): This is the most common type of cardiovascular disorder. It happens when the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle become narrow or blocked. This can cause chest pain called angina, heart attacks, or heart failure^[3][5].
• Cerebrovascular disease: This affects the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. It includes strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), sometimes called “mini-strokes”^[3][5].
• Peripheral artery disease: This occurs when the arteries to your legs, arms, or other body parts become narrow due to plaque buildup. It reduces or blocks blood flow and can cause pain when walking, called claudication^[3][5].
• Aortic disease: Problems with the aorta, which is the largest blood vessel in the body. This includes aneurysms, where the aorta becomes weakened and bulges outwards^[1][3].
• Heart failure: A condition where the heart cannot pump blood around the body properly. It causes fluid buildup and shortness of breath^[1].
• Arrhythmia: Problems with your heart’s electrical system, leading to irregular heart rhythms or heart rates^[1].
• Heart valve disease: Occurs when one or more heart valves don’t work properly. Valves can become too tight or leak blood in the wrong direction^[1].
• Congenital heart disease: Heart problems that you’re born with, which can affect different parts of the heart^[1][3].
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): Blood clots in the leg veins, which can break off and travel to the heart and lungs^[1][3].
• Rheumatic heart disease: Damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria^[3].

How common is cardiovascular disorder?

Cardiovascular disorder is extremely common and is the leading cause of death worldwide and in the United States^[1][7]. An estimated 19.8 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2022, representing approximately 32% of all global deaths^[3].

In the United States, one out of every five deaths is due to heart disease^[7]. Almost half of adults in the United States have some form of cardiovascular disease^[1]. About 47% of people in the United States have at least one of three key risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoking^[7].

Cardiovascular disease affects people of all ages, sexes, ethnicities, and socioeconomic levels. One in three women dies from cardiovascular disease^[1]. Over three-quarters of cardiovascular disease deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries^[3].

Signs and symptoms

Cardiovascular disease symptoms can vary depending on the cause and the specific condition. Older adults and women may have more subtle symptoms, but they can still have serious cardiovascular disease^[1].

Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until a person experiences signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or an irregular heartbeat^[7].

Symptoms related to the heart

Common symptoms of heart problems include^[1]:

• Chest pain, which may feel like pressure, heaviness, discomfort, or tightness. Some people describe it as a “belt around the chest” or a “weight on the chest.” This type of chest pain is called angina.
• Shortness of breath, which doctors call dyspnea. This can occur while resting or during activity.
• Dizziness or fainting
• Fatigue or exhaustion

Symptoms of blockages in blood vessels throughout the body

When blood vessels in other parts of the body are affected, you might experience^[1]:

• Pain or cramps in your legs when you walk
• Leg sores that aren’t healing
• Cool or red skin on your legs
• Swelling in your legs
• Numbness in your face or a limb, often on only one side of your body
• Difficulty with talking, seeing, or walking

Heart attack warning signs

A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked^[23]. Common signs and symptoms include^[23]:

• Pain or discomfort in the center or left side of the chest, or a feeling of pressure, squeezing, or fullness
• Pain or discomfort in the upper body, such as the arms, back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper stomach
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
• Stomachache or feeling like you have heartburn
• Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or unusually tired
• Breaking out in a cold sweat

If you experience any of these symptoms, call emergency services immediately. Call 911 right away even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack. Acting fast can save a life^[23].

Causes and risk factors

The causes of cardiovascular disease can vary depending on the specific type. Several factors can lead to plaque building up inside your arteries, which is a common underlying problem in many cardiovascular disorders^[8].

Major risk factors

The most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease include^[3][7]:

• High blood pressure (hypertension): This is one of the most important risk factors. If your blood pressure is too high, it can damage your blood vessels^[4].
• High cholesterol: Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause your blood vessels to narrow and increase your risk of developing a blood clot. It is estimated that dietary risk factors are associated with 53% of cardiovascular disease deaths^[4][9].
• Smoking: Tobacco use is a significant risk factor. The harmful substances in tobacco can damage and narrow your blood vessels. Tobacco accounts for approximately 9% of cardiovascular disease deaths^[3][4].
• Diabetes: High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels, making them more likely to become narrowed. Diabetes accounts for about 6% of cardiovascular disease deaths^[3][4].
• Physical inactivity: Lack of exercise accounts for approximately 6% of cardiovascular disease deaths. If you don’t exercise regularly, you’re more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and be overweight^[3][4].
• Overweight and obesity: Excess weight puts extra stress on the heart and blood vessels. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure. Obesity accounts for about 5% of cardiovascular disease deaths^[3][4].
• Unhealthy diet: Eating lots of foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, salt, and sugar can contribute to heart disease^[3].
• Excessive alcohol use: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure^[3].

Other risk factors

Additional factors that can increase your risk include^[7][23]:

• Age: Your risk is higher if you’re a woman over age 55 or a man over age 45.
• Family history: Your risk increases if your father or brother had heart disease before age 55, or your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65.
• Chronic kidney disease: People with this condition have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular problems.
• Stress: Chronic stress can contribute to heart disease.
• Poor sleep: Not getting enough quality sleep is linked to increased cardiovascular risk.
• Air pollution: Exposure to air pollution is an important environmental risk factor.

High blood pressure is estimated to account for approximately 13% of cardiovascular disease deaths^[3]. The good news is that it is estimated that up to 90% of cardiovascular disease may be preventable^[9].

Diagnosis

To diagnose cardiovascular disease, a healthcare professional will examine you, listen to your heart, and ask questions about your symptoms and your personal and family medical history^[10].

Many different tests are used to diagnose cardiovascular disease^[10]:

• Blood tests: These can check for proteins that appear after heart damage, measure cholesterol levels, and check blood sugar levels^[10].
• Chest X-ray: This shows the condition of your lungs and can reveal if your heart is enlarged^[10].
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): This quick and painless test records the electrical signals in your heart. It can tell if your heart is beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly^[10].
• Holter monitoring: A portable device worn for a day or more to record your heart’s activity during daily activities. This test can detect irregular heartbeats that aren’t found during a regular ECG exam^[10].
• Echocardiogram: This test uses sound waves to create detailed images of the heart in motion. It shows how blood moves through the heart and heart valves^[10].
• Exercise tests or stress tests: These often involve walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while your heart is checked. They help reveal how your heart responds to physical activity^[10].
• Cardiac catheterization: This test can show blockages in the coronary arteries^[10].

It’s important to detect cardiovascular disease as early as possible so that management with counseling and medicines can begin^[3]. The sooner you detect cardiovascular disease, the easier it is to treat^[1].

Treatment

Treatment for cardiovascular disease depends on how serious your symptoms are and any other health conditions you have. Symptoms are likely to worsen as plaque builds up in the arteries^[11].

Lifestyle changes

Your healthcare provider may recommend adopting lifelong heart-healthy lifestyle changes^[1][11]:

• Choose heart-healthy foods: A heart-healthy eating plan includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and limits saturated fats, sodium (salt), added sugars, and alcohol.
• Be physically active: Routine physical activity can help manage risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or excess weight.
• Quit smoking: Smoking can damage and tighten your blood vessels.

Medications

Many different medicines are used to treat cardiovascular disease. They aim to reduce blood pressure, widen your arteries, or prevent blood clots^[15]. Common medications include:

• Blood-thinning medicines: Such as low-dose aspirin and other antiplatelet agents that help reduce the risk of a heart attack by preventing blood clotting^[15].
• Statins: Cholesterol-lowering medications that help reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol in your blood^[15].
• Beta blockers: These slow down your heartbeat and improve blood flow^[15].
• Nitrates: These widen your blood vessels by relaxing them, which lowers blood pressure and relieves heart pain^[15].
• ACE inhibitors: These reduce the amount of a hormone that causes blood vessels to narrow, improving blood flow around the body^[15].
• Calcium channel blockers: These decrease blood pressure by relaxing the muscles in artery walls^[15].

Procedures and surgery

When needed, procedures or surgery may be used to treat cardiovascular disease^[14]:

• Coronary angioplasty and stenting: A thin, flexible tube is threaded through a blood vessel to the blocked artery. A small wire mesh tube called a stent is placed to prop open the artery and restore blood flow. This is the best treatment for heart attacks when done as quickly as possible^[14].
• Heart bypass surgery: This involves moving blood vessels from a different part of the body to bypass or re-route blood flow around the blocked or narrowed artery. This restores blood flow to the heart^[14].
• Implantable devices: Such as defibrillators that help detect and correct dangerous heart rhythms^[14].

Prevention

Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioral and environmental risk factors^[3]. By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels normal and lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack^[17].

Choose healthy habits

Eat heart-healthy foods: Choose meals and snacks with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fewer processed foods. Eat foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. Limit salt (sodium) in your diet to lower blood pressure. Limit sugar to help prevent or control diabetes^[17].

Keep a healthy weight: People with overweight or obesity have a higher risk for heart disease. Carrying extra weight puts stress on the heart and blood vessels^[17].

Get regular physical activity: Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. For adults, aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking or bicycling, every week. Children and adolescents should get 1 hour of physical activity every day^[17].

Don’t smoke: Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk^[17][18].

Limit alcohol: Men should limit alcohol to two drinks per day, while women should have no more than one drink per day^[17].

Get enough sleep: Sleep disorders can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. Getting a good night’s sleep and practicing good sleep hygiene is very important^[25].

Manage stress: Find ways to reduce stress in your life, as chronic stress can contribute to heart disease^[17].

Take charge of your medical conditions

Check your cholesterol: Your healthcare team should test your blood levels of cholesterol at least once every 4 to 6 years. If you have high cholesterol, medicines and lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk^[17].

Control your blood pressure: Have your blood pressure checked at least once every 2 years. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so it’s important to get it checked regularly. If you have high blood pressure, your healthcare team might recommend lifestyle changes or medication^[17].

Manage your diabetes: If you have diabetes, check your blood sugar levels regularly and work with your healthcare provider to keep your blood sugar under control^[17].

Living with cardiovascular disorder

If you have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, understanding your condition and making healthy lifestyle changes can help you look after your heart^[27].

Receive follow-up care

It is important to get routine medical care and take all medicines regularly, as your healthcare provider prescribed^[21]:

• Follow your provider’s directions. Do not change the amount of your medicine or skip a dose unless your provider tells you to.
• Tell your provider about over-the-counter medicines or supplements you take.
• Talk to your provider about how often to schedule office visits and blood tests.
• Call your provider if you have any new symptoms or if your symptoms worsen.

Consider cardiac rehabilitation

Your provider may refer you for cardiac rehabilitation, which is a medically supervised exercise program for people recovering from heart problems. Cardiac rehabilitation gives you information, support, and advice to help you recover and learn about long-term lifestyle changes^[21][27].

Studies show that cardiac rehabilitation lowers the risk of hospitalization and death. It can also improve your quality of life. Through a cardiac rehab program, you will be supported to return to activities you enjoy, improve your physical activity and fitness levels, manage your medicines, recognize warning signs, make healthy lifestyle choices, and manage stress, anxiety, and depression^[21][27].

Continue healthy lifestyle changes

Following a heart-healthy eating pattern, drinking less alcohol, moving more, and not smoking are all important parts of living well with a heart condition^[27]. These changes can improve your heart health and lower your chances of having heart problems in the future.

Look after your mental health

If you’re feeling lonely, isolated, worried, or depressed after being diagnosed with a heart condition, talk to your doctor and reach out to friends and family^[27]. Managing stress and mental health is an important part of living well with cardiovascular disease.

Take your medicines as prescribed

Taking medicines as prescribed can help protect the heart and lower the risk of a future heart condition, including a heart attack, surgery, or procedure^[27]. Most people who have had heart problems need to take medicines regularly. Do not stop taking medications without talking to your healthcare team first.